Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti on injury to Barcelona starlet Marc Bernal – ‘It’s what happens…’

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti paid tribute to Sven Goran Eriksson and Juan Izquierdo before the beginning of his press conference on Wednesday, as Los Blancos prepare for their clash with Las Palmas. Ancelotti lamented the injury suffered by Marc Bernal, after the Barcelona midfielder went down with an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Rayo Vallecano.

Los Blancos suffered two serious injuries at the beginning of the season last year, when Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao went down last year in the space of three days. They are still waiting on David Alaba to recover from an ACL tear at the start of 2024. Speaking to the media, Ancelotti explained that it was a product of the fixture congestion in the football calendar.

“It’s what happens when the calendar is too tight and there is no time to prepare. You have to choose between work or vacation. And when these are over, ten to eleven months of work arrive. It’s a lot. In August the intensity is maximum and you are caught without adequate preparation. It is a problem for everyone… and it is very sad.”

Iñigo Martínez, Héctor Fort, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal showing support to Marc Bernal. pic.twitter.com/WBUPP8JTTr

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 28, 2024

That was before it was made public that Bernal had not only torn his ACL, but also damaged his meniscus. He was also asked about Dani Olmo being registered due to Andreas Christensen’s injury, but Ancelotti refused to be drawn into controversy.

“It’s a question you have to ask LaLiga, we respect all the players and all the teams.”

"He is continuing his progression, today is the first day he is outside to run. The most important thing is to be patient with him."

Carlo Ancelotti gives a positive update on David Alaba's recovery. #RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/N9pgP9DrCT

— Football España (@footballespana_) August 28, 2024

Ancelotti also gave an update on David Alaba, who returned to running outside the pitch for the first time since his injury on Wednesday. In his previous press conference, Ancelotti had called on his players to let him know when they were tired, which some took as a pointed message.

“It is a topic that I have discussed with the players. It was not a clip around the ears, nor pointing the finger… I have talked about an important topic and I have shown my opinion. Simply an evaluation and nothing more. The most critical thing is us to always try to find a solution.”

In terms of rotations to avoid injuries, Ancelotti said they would be on the way when the Champions League kicked after the September international break. The group stages will consist of 10 games rather than six this season.

“We have many resources and the idea is to make many changes. When the Champions League starts, the calendar will be tighter. We have to deal with that.”

Real Madrid are back in action against Las Palmas in Gran Canaria at 21:30 CEST on Thursday night.

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